Beauty in Paradox
by Lumendea
Summary: Takes place in the last few scenes of the Last of the Time Lords as the Doctor uses the paradox machine to change his own past and save a very precious life. TenRose


Beauty in Paradox by CharmingSlayer

AN: It took form in my head and then there was no stopping it.

It was terrible and beautiful, he knew it was there. The Doctor could feel it and felt the pull of the paradox machine, total control over time. He could smell the possiblities and the raw power. Power even over his own time line, the one thing that a Time Lord could not have in the universe, the power to change his own past but he didn't want that. He wanted the knowledge of the past, he wanted it to remind him. So as the energy of the human race filled him, the Doctor left the Master's trembling form in the hands of Jack Harkness. "I'll be back in a minute." The Captain gave him a surprise look, not understanding why the Doctor was leaving now of all times.

Forcing a smile on his face the Doctor just looked at his friends in the room, "There's one more thing to take care of before I set this right." He felt the Master's eyes on him as he turned away and then a low chuckle filled the room.  
"I didn't think you were brave enough for that Doctor." The Doctor turned back to the Master, his face blank for a moment before his lips curved in the tiniest smile.  
"Neither did I."

He walked down the hall and the personal parted the ways for him, none on the Valiant ready to meet the eyes of the Time Lord who had planned the Master's fall. Then he found it, his TARDIS, his glorious time ship. He felt her cries of pain turn to soft song as he stepped into her control room but then her song changed as she sensed his intentions. The Doctor felt her shudder and prepare herself but she did not argue with him or mentally draw back so he dared to smile. Running his fingers over the vast tube surrounding the core of his TARDIS he whispered, "You know what I want." The flight seemed to stretch for eternity as the TARDIS moved into the vortex, careful not to fracture the paradox they left behind them but aware of the one they sought to create.

The silent and somewhat yellowish halls were suddenly filled with the sounds of the TARDIS, Rose Tyler in the long white lab coat turned in confusion as it materialized right behind her. Looking around in alarm she checked for any Torchwood personal nearby before she pulled out her key to open the door but then it was thrown open and a hand pulled her inside the TARDIS. Rose blinked rapidly at the dark red light that filled the TARDIS and looked at the Doctor in confusion as he stared at her awestruck. "Doctor? What's going on I thought-" Rose was cut off as the Doctor kissed her suddenly, pulling her tight against him. Slowly the daze in Rose's head cleared and she returned the kiss until she needed oxygen. Staring at him, she took in his features with confusion, he looked so tried and worn out but none the less he was grinning at her and she couldn't help but smile back. "Rose Tyler you are amazing, you are fantastic." The Doctor took her hands, they were colder than normal and he held them almost desperately. "Would you give up seeing your family to stay with me?" Rose blinked in confusion. "I can't extend the paradox to them Rose, I can only save you." Rose gaped at him.  
"What's going on Doctor?" The Doctor breathed, trying to rein in his emotions.  
"I lost you Rose. I lost you." He gestured to the column behind him, "This is a paradox machine, now if you don't want to stay with me say so and you'll be safe with your mum but if you come with me you'll never see your mum again."

He was afraid for a moment as a dark fear crept into his hearts but then Rose smiled slowly, "You're nuts Doctor." She pushed some lose hair behind her ear. "I told you I'd give you my forever and I meant it. I made that choice a long time and I'm never gonna leave you." Rose swore at that moment she could have melted at the smile he gave her just before he kissed her again.  
"Rose Tyler I love you." The Doctor said softly as he ended the kiss. Rose blinked in surprise at the words he had said before smiling herself.  
"I love you too Doctor." Nodding the Doctor hugged her tightly before stepping back to the controls.  
"I'll explain everything later Rose but right now I-we have a world to finish saving."

As they landed back on the Valiant, only two minutes after he left, the Doctor sighed and pulled at the wires and tubes of the paradox machine. Sending his apologies into the TARDIS, he could feel her relief as the time shifted around her properly. Looking at Rose, the Doctor pulled her back from the exploding and sparking panels. "Rose, stay here. As the paradox breaks down you need to be as close to the source as possible." Seeing the desperate look in his eyes Rose nodded and kissed him softly before he rushed out the door.

The Doctor returned to the main room with a smile as a fierce wind tore through the Valiant sending the Jones, Jack and the others to the floor. "Everyone get down and stay down!" The Doctor caught Martha Jones as she started to fall to the ground. "Time is reversing!" Everything shifted and turned back through time as the world moved backwards, erasing a year and a day of hardship and pain for six billion humans. Jumping up the Doctor racing the controls and checked everything over, "The paradox is broken. Planet Earth restored!"

Time seemed to move twice as fast in the next few minutes as the Master was shot by Lucy Saxon and he fell back into the Doctor. Then time slowed as the Doctor begged him to regenerate but instead the only other Time Lord looked at the Doctor and smiled, "Did you really do it Doctor? Did you really use my creation?" Slowly the Doctor nodded.  
"Yes, yes I did now regenerate!" The Doctor didn't see the door opening as the Master weakened and he didn't see Rose Tyler enter the room. He missed the look of shock and awe on Jack's face and the horrified expression on Roses. However, the Doctor did feel her kneel next to him, he did feel her touch his hand and he did hear her whisper,  
"It's okay Doctor. I'm not going to leave you ever." He heard the words he needed to hear as the Master's eyes closed and he wasn't sure if he should smile or weep. Instead he held the Master's body as Rose held him.

It was after everything that followed, Rose meeting Martha and being told about everything that had happened. How she had originally been pulled into the other world, how her mum was pregnant on the other side and how his life had been since she was gone. Jack wasn't sure, the Doctor could tell that much from the Captain. He was happy to see Rose but worried about the paradox, no the less he wished the luck and reminded them to visit. Martha said goodbye, knowing she didn't want to live with the flesh and blood Rose Tyler, not after the year that never was. And after two days of fixing the TARDIS, the Doctor took Rose Tyler's hand and smiled at her, receiving a smile and a loving kiss in return. Then Doctor knew that even in the destruction of the Master there could be good and there could be beauty in a paradox. "So Rose Tyler where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time, it's your choice." 


End file.
